The present invention relates to buckles, and more particularly to a buckle with fine adjustment means, which comprises a casing, a locking plate pivoted to the casing and turned to lock/unlock an engagement strip being inserted into the casing, and a fine adjustment handle pivoted to the casing and adapted to move the engagement strip forwardly relative to the casing after locking of the locking plate.
A regular shoe or roller skate buckle is generally comprised of a casing fixed to a first part of the shoe or roller skate, an engagement strip connected to a second part of the shoe or roller skate and adapted for inserting into the casing, and a locking plate pivoted to the casing and turned to lock/unlock the engagement strip. When locked, the position of the engagement strip cannot be adjusted relative to the casing. When adjusting the position of the engagement strip in the casing, the locking plate must be unlocked so that the engagement strip can be moved relative to the casing. Because no fine adjustment means is provided, it is complicated to accurately adjust the position of the engagement strip in the casing.
The invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the buckle comprises a casing adapted to receive an engagement strip having a longitudinal series of teeth, a locking plate pivoted to the casing and turned to lock/unlock the engagement strip, and a fine adjustment handle pivoted to the casing and adapted for turning by hand to move the engagement strip forwards relative to the casing step by step after the locking plate has been set in the locking position to stop the engagement strip from backward movement. According to another aspect of the present invention, the locking plate comprises a vertical locking tooth downwardly disposed at a rear end thereof and adapted for engaging the teeth of the engagement strip, and two horizontal spring strips bilaterally backwardly disposed at a front end thereof, the spring strips each having a fixed front end integral with the locking plate and a free rear end stopped at a respective front stop plate at the vertical side walls of the casing for enabling the locking plate to be quickly returned to the locking position after each unlocking operation.